Apparatus for unloading ships



T. LEVASSEUR APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING SHIPS 7 Filed Maiy 1, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 'Inven Ton. Thomas Le vcrsseur Wm WIM AT Tys.

1925- Y 1,564,795 T. LEVA'SSEUR I APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING sum; 7

F d May 1, 1934 v 4 sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5.

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Thomas. Le va sseur I byM MkM Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

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or on TQWNQM INEQ errAnArUs r03. UNLOADIivG SHIPS.

Application filed May 1 To all whom it may concern}; up

Belt known that I, THOMAS LEvAssnUR, a citizen of the Unlted States, and resldent 'of OldTown, county ofPenobscot, State of) Maine, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Unloading Ships, of wh1ch the following descrlption, 1n connectlon with the accompanying drawing, is a specifito be lowered into the hold of the vessel and place of deposit.

by which the material is elevated from the hold and a conveyer onto which the material is delivered by the buckets and which conveys the material to a car or other desired In operatingklevices of this sortit is customary to swing the lower end of the chain-v and-bucket device laterally'so as to feed the buckets into the material to be excavated, and when all the material has been taken up which the buckets'can reach during such swinging movement it is necessary to shift the elevator device into a different position where it can have access to more material.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a construction whereby the elevator device can be swung in a plurality of difierent directions from any one position thus extending materially the reach of the elevator. v

With my improvements it is possible after lowering the elevator into the hold .of the vessel to swingit laterally in a direction, say toward the front of the vessel, and afterit has taken up or excavated all of the material it can reach in this position, it may be turned so as to swing in a direction transversely of the vessel, and after having excavated all the material it can reach in this position it may be turned again to be swung toward the stern of the vessel. In this way the reach of the elevator is very greatly increased. Another feature of my invention relates toa novel construction by which the conveyer onto which the material is deposited by the elevator may be shifted as the position of the elevator is changed so'that the conveyor will in all positions'of the elevator be prop- Fig. 4 1s an the right;

1924. Serial N6 710,339.

'erly situated to receive the materialfrom the elevatoixi 1 1 Still another, feature of the invention re lates to anovel mechanism by which thecon' veyer is. automatically shifted into its correct position by the-shifting movement of theelevator. I 3 j Still another feature'of the inventionfre- UNITED STATES 1 lates to a noveldrivingconnection for-the I I bucket chain which is operative in all posi 1 tions of the elevator. H Other objects ofthe invention are to improve ship unloading devices in; Various ways all as will be more. fully hereinafter set forth;

In.,tl1e'drawings.j whereiii l have illiistratedafselected embodiment of my inventio'n,Fig. 1 isa sidelflview of a ship unload ing iapparatus constructed in accordance :witli the invention;

a Fig. 2 is atop plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an-enlarged sectiono'n the line 3+3,-l: ig.;1;

the. elevator is mounted; '.-'Figs. 5. and 6 are fragmentary plan views Fig. 7 isan end view 7 of Fig. 5 looking to 'Fig. 8 is an end View 'or Fig. 6 looking to therightj under side viewof the ring 1 gear associated with theturntableoni which showing different relative positionsof the bucket elevator and conveyer;

. Fig. 9 is a detail of the turntable on which 7 thechain and buckets are supported.

I FigLlO is a v diagrammati'cview, showing I the means for operatingthezcable 49.

Fig. 11 is a sectional fragmentary view showing the means for shifting'the conveyer laterally. V

In the drawings 1 indicates a ship which is being unloaded and 2 indicates a wharf along side ofrwhich the ship is lying As stated above my invention includes an elevator, preferably in the form of a chainand-bucket device, for elevating the material 3 from thehold of the vessel and a convey'er onto which'the material is delivered by the chain and buckets and which convey it to the place of deposit. The elevator is indicated generally at 4: and it is of the-familiar, chainand-bucket construction which includes a ladde'rbr frame 5 carrying an, endless bucket chain 6 to which is secured a plurality of at the top of the ladder.

This elevator device is mounted on and carried by a suitable elevator-supporting frame 10 which in turn is mounted on a car or carriage 11 which may conveniently opcrate on tracks 12 on the wharf 2. This carriage 11 may be moved toward and from the end of the wharf on the tracks'12 and it is shown as'being operating from aisuitable motor 13 which is geared to the wheels by appropriate driving'connections 15.

v The elevator-supporting frame 10 18 mounted on the carriage 11 so that it can be adjusted vertically thereon, the purpose of this being to provide for raising and lower- 'ing the elevator 4 in order to place the lower end'thereof into the hold of the vessel or removing it therefrom and also in order to properly position the elevator to operate in the ship withthe tide at various heights.

lVhile any suitable way of supporting the frame 10 on the car 11 to provideforvertical movement of the car maybe employed without departing from my invention I have herein shown the following construction.

The car 11 has two guiding-[posts l6 rising therefrom on each side thereof and the 'frame 10; is located between these posts;

counterweights 20 and these four are sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the frame 10. r

Means are provided for positively rotating the sprocket wheels 18and by such rotation the frame 10 is raised or lowered. While any suitable way of operating the sprocket wheels may be employed without departing from'my invention I have herein shown each sprocket wheel as having rigid therewith a worm gear 21 and the two-worm gears on each side of the carriage mesh with worms 22 carried by a shaft 23 that is journalled in and extends longitudinally of the carriage.

This shaft 23 is operated by a suitable motor 24 for which purpose said shaft is shown as having a worm gear 25 thereon which meshes with aworm 26 that is geared to and driven from the motor 24. The motor 24 is a reversible motor so that the sprocket wheels 18 may be rotated in either direction thereby to raise or lower the frame 10 as desired. This worm gear construction not only provides a suitable reduction gearing for operating the sprocket wheels 8 from the motor 24 but it also provides a driving connection which is selflocking and which will prevent the frame 10 from being raised or lowered except when operated by the motor.

7 The conveyer into which the buckets 7 discharge is indicatedzgenerally at 27. It is herein shown as a trough extending longitudinally of the" frame 10, the bottom of which is formed by an endless belt 28 carrying vanes or pushers 29. This belt passes around pulleys 30, 31 at the ends of the.

frame and it is shown as being driven by means of'a motor 32 which is connected to the pulley 30 by suitable drive gearing 33.-

In accordance with my invention the ele vator is so mounted that it may be swung laterally in a plurality of diflerent directions. For this purpose I have shown it as suspended from and carried by a turntable 34 which is mounted on an extension 35 of the frame 10, said extension having the sup porting rollers 36 on which the'turntable rests. The turntable 34 carries a central bracket or bearing member 37 which is provided with a spindle or journal 38 situated: axially of said turntable and journalled in a bracket or support 39 that is mounted on the frame 10. I a

The upper sprocket wheel 9 of ,the'chaiir and bucket is fast on a shaft 40, one endvofwhich is journalled in the bearing member 37 and the other end of which is journalled in a bracket of bearing 41 depending from the turntable. The shaft 40 thus extends radially of the turntable and the buckets are situated at one side of the center thereof. The bucket chain 6 is operated from a suitable motor 42 carried by the frame 10. This motor is geared to a horizontal shaft 43 which. in turn is connected through bevel gears 44 to a vertical shaft 45 that is situhas a bevel gear 46 thereon meshing with another bevel gear 47 fast on the shaft 40. This makes on operative connection between the motor and the elevator which is operative in all positions of the turntable because since the gear 46 is situated axially of the turntable the latter may be swung about its axiswithout disrupting the driving connection between the'gears 46 and 47.

The turntable is also provided with a boom 48 to which is secured one end of a rope or cable 49 that passes around 'a pulley 50 at the lower end of the elevator, said rope or cable passing over direction pulleys 51 and extending to a suitable drum 119 by which it is operated. (See Fig. 10.) This rope or cable 49 furnishes means by which the lower end of the elevator may be swung laterally about the upper shaft 40 as a pivot, thereby to feed the buckets into the material as fast as it is excavated. I

By thus mounting the chain and bucket "ated axially of the'turntable. This shaft 45 onaturntable it is possible toswing the latter laterally I into a plurality'ofdirections. 1 .For instance, if the turntables positioned as shown in .Fig. 1 then the lower end .ofthe chain-and-bucket device may be swung transversely of the vessel. If the turntable is turned90from that shown in Fig; 1 then the-lower end of the elevator may beswung either toward the'bow or towar d thestern of the vessel. In this way the amount of material-which the elevator can reach without changing the relative position of the ship and the carriage 11 is very much larger than if the elevator did nothave this capability of latter movement in a plurality of different directions.

The turntable 34 isshown as provided withsone or more hold downs 98 which engage under. a circular rail 97 formed onthe extension 85.0f the frame 10, "these hold downs preventing the turntable from tipping because of the weight carried on the end of the boom 48.

.i-Xsstated above one feature of my invention relates to a novel construction by which the conveyer 27 may be placed in proper position to receive the material discharged from the buckets 7 in any position inwhich the turntablelis placed. For instance, if the turntable is in .the position shown in Figs. land 2 then the conveyer 27 will be in line with the chain-and bucket device as shown in Fig. 2 so that the material delivered frointhebuckets will be properly deposited onto the conveyer. Whenthe turntable 34 is swung into a position 90 from that'shown in Fig. 5then the conveyer 27 will be shifted laterally on the frame 10 and forwardly into the position shown inFig. 5. When in this position the buckets will deliver materialover the side of the conveyer instead of into the end thereof as shown in Fig. 2. On the other hand when the turntable is swungQO from the position shown in Fig. 2 in the opposite direction or into the position shown in Fig. 6 then the conveyor will be shifted laterally-and forwardly to place it properlyto receive the material from the buckets as shown in Fig. 6:

To provide for this shifting movement of the conveyer I have shown it as carried by an upper slide 52 which can move longitudinally of the carriage 11 and which in turn is mounted on a lower slide 53 that is supported on the frame for movement transversely of the carriage. This lower slide 58 is shown as having supporting rolls 5a which rest on tracks 55 extending transversely of the frame 10. This lower slide is also shown as having supporting rolls 56 thereon on which the upper slide rests, said rolls per initting a fore and aft movementof the up perfslide relative to the frame 10.

In the construction shown the shifting movement of the conveyer 27 is' automatically accomplished as the turntable? 34;; is;ro-; tated sothatin any position of the-turntable the conveyer will be automaticallytion of this shaft, therefore, will 1 operate through the gears 58 and rack bars 57 to move the under slide 53 transversely'iofthe frame 10.' 1

This shaft 59 is geared to the turntable so that it is rotated asrthe turntable is turned. Said shaft 59 is connected by bevel i gears .61 to a short shaft 62 thatis supported'in suitable bearings 63 carried by the frame 10. This shaft,62 has afsprocket gear 64: fast thereon which is connected by a sprocket chain 65 to a sprocketuwheel 6.6

fast on a shaft 67 that it journalled in suitable bearings in p the end of the frame 10. The shaft 67 has fast thereon a gear 68 which is adapted to meshwith rack teeth 69 formed on the under side of the turntable 34a .1 The rack'teeth 69 are 'of limited .eXtent and are so "positioned on the turntable that they come into engagement with the gear '68 and rotate the latter at the proper. .time infthe rotation of'the turntable'to give the con veyer its lateral shifting movement. The longitudinal movement of the" conveyer is securedas follows. The-upper'slid 52 has rigid therewith two' posted' i'atil'r bars70 and which co-operate witha gear 71 that is slidably mounted 011* theshaf-t 72. The rack bars 70 and 90 are situated in difierent vertical planes and on opposite sides of the gear 71 so that by shiftingthe gear longitudinally of its shaft 7 2 it may be brought into mesh with either rack bar but not both at the same time.

This shaft 72 has a sprocket wheel fast thereon' whichis connected by a sprocket chain 75 to a sprocket wheel. 76'that is fast on a shaft 77 mounted in suitable bearings in the end of theframe 10. The

shaft .T'Thas a gear 78, fast thereon "which meshes with a gear 79 that is loosely mounted on the shaft '67 andisadap'ted to mesh with the-two ratchet teeth sections 80 and 81 that are formed "on thejunder side of the turntable 34. The rack teeth sections 80 and 81 are separated; fromeach other and-the rack teeth 69 are situated between said sections as seen clearly i'n Fig. 4.

The parts are so arranged. that when the turntable is in the position shown in Fig. 5, for instance, the end 82 of the rack teeth 80 will be in mesh with the gear 79. As the turntable is turned into the position shown'in Fig. 2 therack teeth '80 will rotate the gear 79 and th'e latter will operate through the gears 78 and sprocket chain to rotate the gear 71 thereby moving the rack70 in a direction toward the right Fig. 5. By the time the turntable is turned into the dotted line position Fig. 5 the conveyer has been moved toward the ri ht sufiiciently far so that the endthereof is to the right of the elevator and at-this time the rack teeth pass out of mesh with thelgear 79 and the rack teeth 69 enter into mesh with the gear 68. The gear 68 operates through the sprocket 5 to rotate the shaft .56thereby shifting the under slide 53 and the conveyer mounted thereon transversely of the frame 10 and when the turntable has been' moved into the position shown in Figs. 1

and 2 the conveyer will have been moved When the turntable is. swung from the position shown in Fig 2 to that shown in Fig. 6 the rack teeth 69 pass out of engagement with the gears 68 and the rack teer-n 81 come into mesh with the gear 79 again. Before the rack teeth 69 become efiective the gear 71 is shifted longitudinally of the shaft 72 so as to carry it out of engagement with the rack 90 by means of lever 92 as hereinafter explained.

As soon as the rack teeth 81 engage the gear 79, the gear 71 meshing with the rack 90 will operate to move the slide 52 forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the rack 81 is longer than-the rack 80 and, therefore, during practically the entire time that the turntable is swinging from the position shown in Fig. 2 into that shown in Fig. 6 the slide 52 will be moving forwardly. This will carry the conveyer forwardly to a greater extent than is done by the rack teeth 80, the forward movement of the conveyer being sufficient to bring it into the position shown in Fig. 6 with the end extended beyond the bucket elevator a suffici ent extent so that the buckets will deposit the material over the side of the conveyer and into the latter.

It will be noted that when the turntable is in the position shown in Fig. 6 the bucket conveyer is on the left hand side of the axis of rotation while when the turntable is swung into the position shown in Fig. 5 said bucket elevator is on the right hand side of said axis. It is necessary, therefore, that the conveyer should be moved further to the right when the turntable is in the position shown in F ig. 6 than when it is shown in Fig. 5, and by making the longer rack 31 longer than the rack 80 this result is accomplished.

The turntable 34 may be operated in any suitable way. I have herein shown it as provided with an exterior worin 85 which meshes with and is driven by a worm 86, the latter being actuated from a motor 87 through suitable gearing 88. The gear 71 may be shifted laterally into mesh with either of the racks 70 or 90 by any appropriate means. I have herein provided means for automatically shifting this by the transverse movement of the under slide 53. This slide carries a rod 89 which extends transversely thereof and is provided with two collars 91 which are adapted to engage one end of a lever 92 pivoted at 93. The other end of said lever is forked and the fork engages in, the grooved hub 94 of the gear 71.

In the operation of this mechanism when the slide 53 reaches the limit of its transverse movement in either direction one of and into mesh with the rack 90 and during 7 the further turning movement of the turntable the gear 81 meshing with the gear 68 will operate to move the conveyer forwardly or to the right again into the position shown in Fig. 6.

I claim:

1. In a'ship unloading device, the combination with a carriage, of an elevator mounted'thereon and adapted to elevate material from the hold of a vessel, a conveyer to take material from the elevator, said elevator being turnable about a vertical axis, and means to shift the positionof the conveyer thereby to place it properly to receive material from the elevator in any position of the latter. I

2. In a device for unloading ships, the combination with a carriage, of a turntable thereon, an elevator depending from the turntable, a conveyer to take material discharged from the elevator, and. means to shift the position of the conveyer thereby to place it properly to receive material from the elevator in any position of the latter.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a turntable thereon, an elevator depending from the turntable and adapted to elevate material'from the hold of a vessel, a conveyer onto which the elevator discharges, and means toshift the position of the conveyer thereby to place it properly to receive material from the elevator in any position of'the latter.

- 4. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a supporting frame, of a turntable thereon, an elevator depending from the turntable and adapted to elevate.

veyer onto whichv the elevator discharges,

and means for shifting the position of the conveyor as the turntable moves thereby to place the conveyer in position to receive material from the elevator in different positions of the turntable.

6. In a device for unloadingships, the combination with a supporting frame, of a turntablemounted'thereon, a chain-andbucket elevator device supported by the turntable, a conveyer mounted on the frame to receive material 'discharged from said elevator, means to shift the conveyer in two different directions and to place it properly for receiving material from the elevator in difierent positions of the latter.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a carriage, of a supporting frame vertically adjustable thereon, a turntable carried by one end of said frame, a

chain-and-bucket elevator device suspended from the turntable, a conveyor to receive material discharged from said elevator, and means actuated by the turning movement of the turntable to shift the position of the conveyor so as to place it properly to receive material from said elevator in different positions of the turntable.

8. In a device ofthe class dscribed, the combination with a supporting frame, of a.

turntable mounted thereon, a chain-and bucket elevator device carried by the-turntable, a conveyer to receive material discharged from the elevator, drivin connections for the chain-and-bucket device which are operative in any position of the turn table, and means actuated by the turning .veyer and place it' properly to receive .ma-

terial from the elevator indifferent positions of the turntable. I

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame, of a turntable mounted thereon, a chain-and-j' bucket elevator device suspended from the turntable non-axially thereof, a conveyer to take materialdischarged from the elevator, and means for driving the elevator which is operative in all positions of the turntable 50 movement of the turntable to shift the con- I 

